As Project and Program Managers, we spend a significant amount of time in meetings; we lead, facilitate and attend meetings. A well-run, organized meeting is an effective Project Management tool. By setting meeting objectives, creating and adhering to agendas while keeping our eye on the clock, we help our teams stay focused and productive. Personally, there is no greater hell than the “never-ending” or unfocused meeting.

The meeting troll is a risk to the team cohesiveness. Watch how the team shuts down when the meeting troll spreads their negativity. Teams do not do their best work when the environment is unsafe. Meeting trolls undermine team trust and make team members reluctant to share their ideas and opinions.

Anytime there is a free webinar from Eric Verzuh, you must attend. His webinars are focused nuggets of goodness. His next webinar, Unlock Innovation, will be presented on March 13, 2013 2PM EST / 11AM PST.For more information, follow this link: http://www.versatilecompany.com/webinar-innovation-1-title.aspx. If you are certified, you can receive 1 Free PDU for attending.

1 plural but sing or plural in constr: the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation

2 a: a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values <the present-day materialistic ethic> <an old-fashioned work ethic> —often used in plural but singular or plural in construction <an elaborate ethics> <Christianethics>

bplural but sing or plural in constr: the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group ethics>

c: a guiding philosophy

d: a consciousness of moral importance <forge a conservation ethic>

3 plural: a set of moral issues or aspects (as rightness)<debated the ethics of human cloning>

PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct is based on the values that the global project management defined as most important: responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty. The Code has been revised several times since its adoption in 1983 in response to continuous change and new ethical challenges in the workplace and in our world. (PMI, 2006) The Code consists of mandatory and aspirational standards.

As we enter the 4th week of class, it is time to review our class objectives and determine if you have achieved the objectives that we have covered so far. A couple of questions to help you wrap your head around what you have learned so far.

Can you…

Identify clear objectives using the SMART/ER format?

Describe the purpose & benefits of key project processes & outputs?

Define Scope using a Work Breakdown Structure?

Use a Responsibility Assignment Matrix to identify roles & responsibilities?

Use a communication matrix to identify communication & reporting needs?

List critical scheduling & budget estimating steps & techniques?

If you answered no to any of the questions above, review the slides, re-read the related chapters in PMBOK* and Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, review the templates in the back of your binder and practice the skills.

Current Students and interested parties, you can search for topics of interest on the blog using the search box under the PMP and Certified Scrum Master logos in the top left of each page. For current Project Management Essentials students, I have many posts about Work Breakdown Structures (WBS). I have listed a few below to get you started.